PRESS RELEASE
Senior military representatives from the United Kingdom, United States and Sweden will provide leading insights into the issues at the forefront of the military simulation, training and education scene during the Opening Plenary Panel of ITEC. Europe’s leading symposium for military simulation, training, and education, technology and services, will take place at ExCeL, London, 17-19 May 2016.
The Keynote Address at this year’s conference will be delivered by Vice Admiral Duncan L Potts CB,Director General, Joint Force Development and Defence Academy, United Kingdom. Vice Admiral Potts brings a wealth of experience from a highly successful career in the UK’s Royal Navy where he served most recently as the Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Capability) and Commander UK Maritime Force, the UK’s contingent 2* Maritime Component Commander (MCC). During this time he was MCC for NATO Reaction Force 16 and commanded Op ATLANTA, the EU’s counter piracy operation in the Indian Ocean. Earlier appointments included command of HMS BRILLIANT, HMS SOUTHAMPTON and HMS MARLBOROUGH, and Commander Sea Training.
As Director General, Joint Force Development, Vice Admiral Potts supports the current and future force by planning and delivering Defence and Joint training and education, doctrine and concepts, Joint Warfare development, Defence Lessons and Command Force Development. Vice Admiral Potts aims to enhance Defence and Joint training and education across the Joint Force Development area which stretches from school/university level education right through to mission preparation and the loop back following lessons identified from Operations and Exercises.
Mr Frank DiGiovanni, SES, Director, Force Readiness and Training at the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Readiness), The Pentagon, will provide the American perspective. His responsibilities include policy and oversight of Service and joint training, training capability modernization, and enabling access to the land, air, and sea live training domains. He leads the $700M Combatant Commanders Exercise Engagement and Training Transformation program for the Department of Defense; the development of Live, Virtual and Constructive Training Standards and Architectures; Cyber workforce development and training; and ensuring training is properly incorporated into major acquisition programs. He also serves as the National Co-Chair of the NATO Training Group for the Department’s training policies impacting NATO and PfP training.
Joining them on the Opening Plenary Panel will be Major General Engelbrektson, Director Training and Education, Swedish Army. Prior to his current appointment, Major General Engelbrektson served as Military Representative to the European Union and NATO, Permanent Representation of Sweden to the European Union. His professional leadership experience also includes Military Advisor – European Union and NATO Policy at the Swedish Ministry of Defence, Force Commander of the Nordic Battle Group and Battalion Commander in Kosovo.
The perspective of industry will be provided by a senior representative from the ITEC 2016 Platinum Sponsor, BAE Systems.
The Plenary Panel session on the second day of ITEC (18 May 2016) will explore the demands of individual education and training in both a National and International context. We are delighted that Major General Julian Free CBE, Commandant of the UK’s Joint Services Command and Staff College, will be leading this stimulating discussion.
The ITEC Conference addresses a broad remit, promoting the vital creative dialogue between users, researchers, academia and industry. This year the Conference will discuss an enterprise approach, which moves beyond training to regulate all of the enablers to meet capability and availability needs. This critical issue will be explored throughout ITEC’s program by leading contributors from across the globe.
In addition to this broad agenda a separate conference will be hosted alongside the main program on the 19 May 2016 – on the impact of the F-35 combat aircraft across the joint battle space, in terms of the new training demands this 5th generation system will bring. Air Cdre Lincoln Taylor MA BEng Hons, Assistant Chief of Staff Capability Delivery (Combat Air) for the UK’s Royal Air Force, will deliver the opening Keynote Address. The F-35 conference will provide an international platform for industry, force deployers and force employers to discuss both training requirements and the potential solutions for this new air system.
As well as a world class panel of international military and industry experts, we are delighted to announce that we will be joined at this year’s ITEC by over 100 senior representatives from 30 countries, including 25 senior officers of 1* and above, serving in defence training, modelling, simulation and education appointments both in UK Government, UK MOD and Overseas Governments and MODs. These military and civil service experts represent the core areas of Training Tactics, Strategy, Policy and Doctrine, Defence Procurement, Training Capability & Requirement, Academia, Flying Training, NATO, Education, Skills, Recruiting & Resettlement, Future Training and Training Acquisition, Naval Sea Training, Force Development & Training, Research & Technology, Modelling & Simulation and Military Technical Training & Education.
To find out more about ITEC, please visit www.itec.co.uk.
Contacts:
Daniel Mortimer
Event Manager
T +44 (0) 20 7384 7788
E [email protected]
Steve Baker
VIP and Military Engagement
T +44 (0) 20 7384 7792
E [email protected]